


Royally Screwed

by calmlychaotic



Series: A thousand paths (and they all lead to you) [1]
Category: Dangan Ronpa, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Despair, F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-25
Updated: 2016-04-05
Packaged: 2018-04-23 08:27:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4870049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/calmlychaotic/pseuds/calmlychaotic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Touko lives a quiet life as a book store owner. However, things become a little less quiet when a certain blonde woman enters her shop.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Interests and First Meetings

**Author's Note:**

> My first fanfic ever. Of all the things I could start off with, it's a multi-chapter for a rare-pair. Criticism is appreciated! Also, I'm so sorry for the title. I'm a bit of a sucker for puns.

Ever since childhood, Touko had had a passion for books and writing. Novels, biographies, she loved them all. Even in high school, she found herself in the library, surrounded by books and her personal story documents. Shelves of books always made her feel at ease, calm. So, despite being only two years out of high school, she found herself ending up as the operator of a small bookstore in downtown Tokyo. A warm, cozy, book littered shop that had pretty much become her second home. Her little store got some business (mostly due to the vast variety of manga she begrudgingly stocked her shop with), but still tended to be on the quiet side most days. Not that she minded. She was perfectly fine with time to herself, just her and the books as the slowly penned a novel of her own in between customers. Life was simple, routine, orderly. Everything she needed. She couldn't really handle much more exciting than what she had right now. Excitement meant danger and danger meant HER showing up. Then again, working in a dusty little store like this with so many shelves that were a huge hassle to wipe the dust off of also meant SHE might show up.

The bell on the door jingled quietly, pulling Touko from her thoughts. Another customer. She glanced at the person who had entered her shop, then quickly did a double take. The customer was a gorgeous young woman who looked to be her age. Her hair was a pale blonde, her skin even paler, and her eyes a gentle grey. Even from where she stood behind the counter, Touko could tell the girl had an air to her that befitted a princess. Her elegant hair and nearly snow white skin certainly wouldn't have looked out of place on a monarch of some small European country.

"M-may i help y-you?" Touko stuttered out, not able to meet the woman's eyes.

"Ah, yes, do you by chance have any non-fiction books for sale?" Touko's jaw dropped as the woman spoke. Her japanese was flawless, something the bookstore owner hadn't been expecting. It took her a moment to realize the woman was waiting for a reply.

"O-of course! what k-kind of second class owner would I b-be if I only stocked novels and manga?" Touko scoffed, her hands placed on her hips. The blonde woman clapped her hands together joyfully, beaming at Touko's words.

"Oh, most excellent! I know this may be odd sounding, but do you perhaps have any books on serial killers?" Her grin didn't falter for a second as she spoke those words. "You know, killers like Futoshi Matsunaga, Jack the ripper, Genocider Syo?" The girl's smile simply grew wider as she kept talking, excitement obvious in her voice.

"G-g-g-genocider Syo?" The shopkeeper barely managed to choke out the name as she nervously fiddled with one of her braids. Of all the people that could've been brought up, this random customer brings up HER? Why couldn't this woman be like any other customer, winding aimlessly through the shelves until either something caught her eye or she got bored? Oh, why did today have to differ from the patterns of literally all other days?

"Yes, Genocider Syo. I'm assuming you've heard of his work? Admittedly I find myself fascinated by his patterns and his sheer ability to evade capture. Why, I actually very much admire him. It would be nice to meet him in person, especially knowing that I don't fit his killing criteria." Touko's fists clenched as the blonde continued to ramble on about Syo. What did this girl know? Despite her seemingly extensive knowledge of the killer's track record, she was still oblivious to very much. Apparently she had no idea that Syo was a woman, nor that Syo actually could harm another woman. Not kill, but most definitely harm. Finally, something mentally snapped.

"Y-you don't even know what you're talking about! Who even a-are you, anyways, waltzing in h-here like you own the place, claiming you know a-about Syo, but you don't! You don't know a t-thing about her!" The shop fell silent as Touko's words echoed slightly. She was seething, furious, ready to make this adorable woman leave.

"Oh, of course, my name is Sonia, sorry I didn't tell you earlier. Wait, did you just say that Genocider Syo is a woman?" Sonia's head was tilted gently to the side in confusion as she spoke. Fuck. She hadn't meant to let any of her personal knowledge escape, yet here she was, trying to explain to a Syo fangirl why she called Syo a 'she'.

"M-my tongue just slipped! Besides, if Syo has never b-been caught, how do we know one way or the other what Syo's g-gender is?" Her words made Sonia pause, a fist resting on her mouth in contemplation.

"I suppose you do have a point. And that does make a lot more sense than the alternative, a man crucifying other handsome men using scissors..." When she phrased it like that, the concept of Syo being a guy made absolutely no sense to Touko, even when she put aside her knowledge of who and what the killer was.

"Now, if you're d-done questioning my statements, at the very l-least browse through the books or get out." Touko said curtly with a wave toward the shelves. Had this girl forgotten this was a shop? Apparently she had, based on the shocked face she made before scurrying over to a shelf of romance novels. "You're so lucky you're pretty." She murmured to herself, watching as Sonia crouched in front of a lower shelf and rifled through the selection.

She waited five, ten, twenty minutes, simply watching from behind the counter as Sonia flipped through book after book. The girl was probably looking for something not written by Touko, despite the abundance of her novels. The time ticked by and slowly but surely, a pile of books grew around the blonde. To Touko's frustration, closing time came and went with Sonia still combing through book after book.

"H-hey, store closed at six, you know." Sonia's head popped up like a gopher at the sound of Touko speaking to her after what had probably been an hour of silence. The silence resumed as the store owner gestured to a small wall clock. 6:30. The blonde scrambled up as the pieces clicked together, scooping a large stack of books into her arms.

"I'm so sorry! I just got caught up looking at the amazing selection you had for sale. I've never seen this many books written by Touko Fukawa in one place and I needed to see which ones I still needed for my collection. She really is a splendid author, you know. Have you read any of her works?" Sonia's eyes sparkled with excitement as she began to gush about the author. Touko's cheeks lit up a bright red, burning hot from the compliment. Someone not only liked her books, but wasn't lying so as to make Touko feel better? This woman was truly something.

"Y-yeah, I've read all her books. You see, I work part-time as her editor, so I g-get a bunch of copies from her after publication. Hey, listen, it really is l-late, and I have editing to do, how about I set these aside for you and you c-come back tomorrow when I open back up?" She quietly suggested, not able to look Sonia in the eye. One compliment from a cute girl and she was already turning to mush. She really did need to get herself together.

"That would be lovely, actually. I actually need to come back tomorrow since I got so distracted by your novel selection, I didn't even touch any non fiction pieces. See you then!" Sonia gently placed her book collection on the counter before making her way back to the door, waving to Touko as she left. Touko awkwardly waved back before slamming her face on top of her arms on the counter's free space. Today definitely did not go as planned.


	2. Tea and Thank Yous

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's here, chapter two! I'm just going to say it's a bit dialogue heavy so I'm sorry.

Touko didn't get much sleep that night. Images of Sonia wouldn't stop flashing behind her closed eyelids. Her soft eyes, her bright smile, the joy she never seemed to lose during their first meeting. Touko had only known the girl for an hour and a half at most and she was already plaguing Touko's mind the way Byakuya had back in the day. The writer shuddered at the thought. Her crush on Byakuya had been catastrophic, and the last thing she wanted was a repeat.

Maybe she was just fascinated by Sonia's appearance. Yeah, that had to be it. There were so few people around here that had a complexion like Sonia's, so it was only expected for Touko to be focusing so intensely on the other woman's beauty. Well, that's what she told herself as she lied in bed.

The next morning was hell for her. For all the all night writing sessions she had pulled before, she thought she'd have the capability to fully function without sleeping the night before. Now she was finding that maybe she did need to sleep or at the very least keep some coffee in her house. She did have tea but her kettle had broken the other day, so she was stuck with being exhausted until she could go get a soda at lunch.

Her walk to work was uneventful, people bypassing her without a second glance. Well, it was uneventful until she literally ran to someone in front of the books store's doors and ended up knocked back onto the ground. She grumbled angrily as she stood up, realizing she was covered in warm tea.

"W-watch where you're going next time! And d-don't think for a s-second that I'll buy you a new... Drink..." Her angry tirade faded to a stop, her words caught in her mouth as she realized who had knocked her over.

"I'm so sorry! Are you alright? I brought you tea as a thank you, but I guess you can see where that went." Sonia chuckled hesitantly as she clutched a now empty styrofoam cup. God, even after getting run into and tea spilled on by her, Touko still found Sonia adorable.

_Get a hold of yourself, Touko. You need to stop this._

"I-I'm fine. I keep a change of clothes in the b-back just in case this kind of thing happens. Besides, you probably don't actually c-care about a pig like me." She hoped the other girl heard all of her words, despite how quietly she muttered the last part. For all the praise the other girl gave her, Touko knew, deep down, that Sonia thought as little about her as everyone else did. Not that she was expecting anything else.

"Why would you think that? You've been kind to me thus far, putting up with me making you stay open late, agreeing to hold my books, the least I can do is care if you're okay." Sonia looked Touko in the eye as she spoke. Touko couldn't see a hint of dishonesty in her gaze.

"Y-you don't even know my name." The point was valid. Sonia DIDN'T know her name. God, Sonia hadn't even thought to ask the shop owner what her name was. "It's Touko, by the way. Touko Fukawa." So that's who she was. Wait, did she really say Touko Fukawa?

Sonia's jaw hung open, absolutely stunned. This was her favorite author?

"Now come on, are you j-just going to stand here catching flies or a-are you going to buy your books?" Touko asked, arms crossed.

"Oh, of course. Sorry, I'm just a little surprised. I mean, you just told me that you and my favorite author are the same person." Sonia admitted as she played with a loose strand of her hair. She really hadn't expected this, considering what Touko had told her earlier, but it did make sense. The abundance of books written by her now seemed more logical, even more than it seemed when she thought Touko was just an editor.

She was removed from her thoughts as a gentle sound of jingling came from off to the side. The author was struggling with the door, jiggling her key in the lock. Frustrated sighs fell from her mouth as the lock refused to let go of the key.

"Allow me to assist you, miss Fukawa." As soon as Sonia said that, she walked over to the door, tapped above the lock with her fist, then below, and quickly yanked the key out, the door swinging open in the process. Touko stared in awe as Sonia walked through the door, humming as she dug in her purse for her wallet.

"L-locks aren't supposed to work like that..." Touko whispered to herself as she followed Sonia in. Banging around a lock shouldn't make it suddenly release its death grip on the key, and yet, that's what had happened. She quickly jotted down a note of the trick on a scrap of paper at her desk.

All physical implausibilities involving doors aside, Touko quickly retrieved a large plastic tub full of books out from under the counter. "I believe t-these are all the books you chose." She said as she placed the tub on the counter for Sonia to check. A subtle nod after a moment's glance is all Touko waits for before she starts scanning each book, one by one.

It made her a little sick to see the covers of her books. God, who even chose these cover images? Regardless, she still scanned each book and placed them all in a plastic bag. As the number on the register climbed higher and higher, the writer began to cringe.

As the last book was scanned, all Touko could do was weakly turn the screen to face the blonde woman. There's no way she had that much money. However, Sonia didn't seem shocked as she pulled out her wallet and a large stack of yen.

"I believe this will be enough to cover the cost. Thank you so much for holding my books. Now, I'll go ahead and leave so you can clean yourself up. I'll be back around tomorrow though and hopefully I won't spill your tea all over you next time." Sonia giggled softly as she grabbed her books and left, the door jingling behind her.

Touko looked down at herself. How had she forgotten that she was drenched in cooling black tea? Sighing, she went into the back room changing into her clean clothes and trying not to think too much. Sonia was coming back tomorrow. The day had hardly started and she was already having a rough time. She pulled her phone out, dialing a familiar number.

"Oi, K-Komaru, take a really early l-lunch and meet me at the cafe next door in ten minutes, I n-need to talk to you."


	3. A Little Advice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo, chapter three is a go! Time for Komaru to miss work due to Touko needing her. :P

"Man, you really have it bad for this girl, don't you." Komaru murmured into her tea as she took a sip, looking Touko in the eye. They'd been at the cafe for about half an hour, most of the time taken up by Touko venting about the past two encounters with Sonia.

"I-I guess? I mean, she's cute a-and charming and just amazing, but I-I'm just scared this is g-going to end the way it ended with m-me and Byakuya..." Touko took a swift gulp of her own tea as she trailed off, relishing the burn of it going down her throat. The physical pain was a good distraction to make her forget her mental agony.

"Okay first off, the Byakuya situation wasn't your fault. He was a good for nothing jerk who didn't know how to treat anybody right. This Sonia girl, on the other hand, sounds really sweet so if you're scared to admit your feelings due to what happened between you and jerkface, I can tell you now that it'll end differently. So say it."

"S-say what?" The author tilted her head, confused.

"Say that you like Sonia! Get all the denial out of your system now." The other girl urged with a smile. Did she really think it was that easy?

Regardless, Touko put down her tea and turned her head to the side. "I like Sonia. I l-like her a lot and want to go out w-with her." Her words were muttered, almost inaudible, but apparently it was enough to appease Komaru, who smiled as Touko went back to gulping down her tea.

"Attagirl, Touko! Okay, now that that's out of the way, onto actually making progress with her. So this is how I see it. You'll never know how she feels about you unless you tell her how you feel. If she likes you back, that's wonderful, if she doesn't, such is life. But you have to be the one who steps up and makes a move, because if you wait for her, it might not ever happen. Now put your tea down, you’re going to scald your throat.” She nudged Touko’s mug, making the writer reluctantly put it down.

"Hey, if it makes you feel any better, I'll be behind you the entire time. Think of me as a wingman of sorts. I'll try to nudge her in the right direction, give you two alone time, pull the whole 'the spirits compel you two to be together' junk if need be." Touko rolled her eyes. There Komaru goes, talking about ghosts again. Ever since they met, she'd had to put up with the younger girl talking about seeing spirits and channeling voices of the dead. She didn't really believe her friend, she believed her as much as she believed Hiro's phony fortunes, but the least she could do was listen.

"Th-thanks for the offer, but that w-won't be necessary. I think i can handle this j-just fine without and help from the 'spirits'." Touko made air quotes with her fingers as she uttered the last word. Her heart was always in the right place, but help from Komaru doesn't always end as well as she means for it to. The shop owner shuddered as she recalled the last time Komaru tried helping her, which only ended with both of them in the hospital.

"Hey, stop with that grimace. That's the 'remembering the time Komaru tried to help put a Christmas tree up' grimace. And for the record, it's not my fault it wasn't rooted into the base good. Anyways, since this doesn't involve any physical labor, this can't possibly go as wrong, I promise. Hey, I have an idea. As practice, I'll pretend to be Sonia and you'll try asking me out! So, how about it?" Komaru's excited smile that showed up as she spoke was enough to get Touko to agree.

"F-fine. So Sonia, I know w-we haven't known each other very l-long, but-"

"No! You can't mention how short of time you've known her. It'll draw her attention to it and she'll put more focus on it. Now try again."

Touko sighed. "Sonia, I really like you. N-not that you'd like a gross piece of scum like m-"

"Don't insult yourself, it sounds like you're trying to talk her out of dating you before you've even asked her out. Now again."

"Sonia I like you. D-date me!"

"Okay now you're not even trying. I know this might seem pointless, but I really am trying to make sure it goes okay for you." The medium murmured quietly, gently holding Touko's hand as she looked her in the eye. She slowly released the hand from her grasp, standing up.

"Now, it really has been fun, but I'd better get back to work. You might be your own boss, but I'm not, and Hiro will probably tease me about dating you if I take any longer to get back. Bye!" With a quick side-hug, Komaru quickly dashed off, leaving Touko sitting alone at the table.

Touko shook her head as she picked up her mug, taking a sip. Cold. Had Komaru really talked long enough that her tea had gotten cold? The other girl had a point, though. Trying to deny her feelings would get her nowhere. She had told Komaru that she liked Sonia, but she needed to admit it to herself. She dwelled on this as she walked back to work, opening the shop back up. She gazed out the shop's window, watching people pass by as she kept thinking.

_I_ _really do like her, don't I._


	4. A New Perspective

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Horray, all three of you who are actually reading this fic get the long awaited chapter four! Also, three guesses as to what the chapter title means. :P

Sonia sighed loudly as she unlocked the door to her apartment, slumping onto her couch. Today had gone so, so, so, _so_  wrong. She had somehow poured hot tea all over her crush, and it turned out that her crush already had a girlfriend. How could she be so _dumb_?

She dabbed at her face, wiping away a dampness that had covered her cheeks. She hadn't realized she had began to cry, but at least it was happening while she was home. Nobody to see Novoselic's heir to the throne cracking simply because the woman she liked was taken. Then again, how was she supposed to act? She had gotten everything she wanted due to being royalty back in Novoselic, and still managed to get what she wanted here due to her beauty. Looking back on it now, she felt truly silly thinking that she would simply just end up with Touko at her side. She shut her eyes, groaning with an arm slung over her face.

"You truly are a mess. You begin to love this girl before you truly know anything about her, and then are surprised when she cannot be with you. Did you honestly think she would be gay, single, and interested? Not everything is just going to fall into your hand, Sonia." She hiccupped as she muttered to herself, dabbing at her eyes with her sleeve. Being upset wasn't going go get her anywhere, but she couldn't help it. Her heart wasn't totally crushed, but it was still cracked in places. She just needed to get it out of her system, then she could move on.

Her laptop began to ring quietly from the kitchen, an incoming video call it turned out to be when she checked. She slowly clicked accept, smiling at the sight of Chiaki almost dozing off on an all-too familiar couch. Green, slightly torn up, and obviously close to being as old as the gamer. But for as ragged as it was, it was charming in a way and perfectly fitting for Hajime's apartment.

"Hello, Chiaki. It has been a while since we've spoken, hasn't it?" She tried to hide the fact that she had been crying, trying to keep her voice from shaking as she pretended to be okay, but she could still see the moment Chiaki realized that something was wrong. While her facial expression didn't change, Sonia could see a shift in the other girl's eyes.

"Sonia. What happened. Is everybody okay?" Chiaki is suddenly wide awake as she leans in towards the camera. She's rarely ever seen Sonia rattled like this, and it was usually caused by one of their friends ending up in harm's way. The young figurehead was strong, and to think something had happened to leave her this upset was worrying.

"Y-you have no reason to be worried. Nothing tragic has happened to our friends. I simply made a mistake in whom I had affection for." She turned her head away, trying to hide her shame of having to say something like that. It was so petty, yet here she was, tears beginning to well up again just thinking about it. Chiaki said nothing, instead simply giving the princess a look as a prompt to continue. Sonia dabbed at her eyes once more, not looking at the other girl as she began to talk.

"I'm sure that I have mentioned Touko Fukawa before. Charming author, owns a book store, so timid and sweet..." Sonia trailed off. Chiaki nodded, motioning with her hand for the princess to continue.

"Well, I attempted to bring her tea this morning, trying to be kind to her, since she was kind enough to hold books overnight, but I ended up spilling it all over her. I am honestly shocked that she did not get burned. So I ran away and hid at the local cafe, but she showed up there and was talking with her girlfriend and I just..." She was sobbing now, her words turning into unintelligible blubbering. Her breathing grew ragged as she gulped air between sobs. She thought she had been able to do this. Instead, trying to retell the story was like tearing open an old wound and dumping salt in it. How could a memory do this to her, when the actual event only left her upset enough for small tears to fall?

"How do you know they're dating?" Chiaki's meek voice is enough to shock Sonia, the active crying stopping but her breathing still shaky.

"H-her girlfriend said as much. She made a joke about her boss teasing her due to her and Touko's relationship. I think that is proof enough that I don't stand a chance. They obviously seem happy, so who am I to try and be a third person in a relationship that functions perfectly with only two." Chiaki closes her mouth as Sonia says this. The gamer had admittedly been about to suggest polyamory as a possibility, seeing as how she couldn't be happier now that she was with both Hajime and Nagito, but obviously her friend didn't see that as an option. She placed her hand on her chin, thinking once more.

"You should still say her friend. Get to know her, be there for her. It might not be the wanted character route, but right now it looks like the one you're being pushed towards for now. Who knows, maybe she is single. What I'm saying is this: there's no point in giving up just because you heard one snippet of conversation. You have to stick with it, and see what happens, I think. Okay?" She tilts her head as she goes on, her eyes half lidded as though she was getting sleepy again. Sonia nodded once as she processed the information. The gamer did have a point. The least she could do is stay friends with the shop owner. It would be just rude of her to quit showing up with no reason, even if she had only known the other woman for a few days. At the very least, it would leave a bad taste in Sonia's mouth.

"Thank you, Chiaki. I feel a lot better now. Well, I might as well let you go have a nap, since you seem to already be dozing off. Goodbye!" Sonia giggled as the sleepy girl on her screen lazily waved goodbye before ending the video call. She fell back on her couch this more. This time though, she was smiling. She was going to be the best friend she could be to Touko, single or not. All she wanted was the sweet writer in her life, even if they didn't end up together. She gently closed her eyes, drifting off peacefully, dreaming of the future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, I have a tumblr where you can send me prompts! 
> 
> iamnotyoshi.tumblr.com


	5. Communication

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still alive, and I bring chapter 5 with me! Have at it! :D

"I'm just saying that a free book from my favorite author would totally win me over. Maybe you should give her a book about one of her interests. You mentioned she likes serial killers, right? A little odd, but to each their own, I guess. What're you gonna d-"

"Komaru, s-stop talking." Touko snapped at her friend. It was too early to deal with her rambling. She had just opened up shop for the day when Komaru decided to show up and do nothing except sit on the counter and sip on a thermos of hot chocolate while chattering Touko's ear off. Not the ideal way to start the morning, but at least the younger woman had thought to bring along a second thermos for the author.

"Hey, I'm just throwing out ideas. Do you have any better ideas of how to woo Sonia?" Komaru asked a little too loudly for Touko's liking. She quickly shushed Komaru, grappling to slap a hand over her mouth and almost knocking her off the counter. Sighing, Touko pulled her hand away and crossed her arms. It had been a week since she'd told Komaru about her crush, and the smaller girl had been torturing her like this the entire time, labeling it all as ‘helping’.

"Don't you have a b-better way to spend your day off? C-coming in my shop, bugging m-me to no end, putting your ass a-all over my counter, m-making me look at your dumb candy cane s-socks." She grumbled quietly and scowling to the side. "Well I think they're festive, miss grumpy pants. Besides, you know you love having me here." Komaru giggled in reply, patting Touko on the head. The author smiled slightly at the gesture. For all that Komaru annoyed her, she really was a sweet person.

The scene was broken by the jingle of the door's bell, an all-too-familiar blonde woman walking in, two foam cups in hand. She hummed lightly as she placed a cup in front of the shopkeeper and took a swig of her own drink. "Good morning Touko. It's peppermint hot chocolate. I don't know what you prefer in terms of drinks, so I simply brought you something that sounded good. Oh, and good morning, Touko's friend that I do not know the name of." Sonia sent a quick nod in Komaru's direction. Komaru waved at the blonde woman, swinging her legs from where she was still perched on the counter.

"Komaru Naegi. Ghost speaking extraordinaire, or master of talking BS, as this one likes to call me. Now, let me guess, your name is Sonia, right?” She pointed directly at Sonia, beaming at the taller woman. She gave a small gasp and covered her mouth with a gloved hand. Her shock quickly dissolved into amused laughter, her grin hidden by her hand.

"My apologies, I'm simply tickled by getting to meet someone who is actually involved in the occult. I am truly very intrigued by that sort of thing, I must admit. It's odd to think somebody as sweet seeming as you would have knowledge of such things..." She trailed off until she could barely be heard, as if she regretted her words. Either Komaru didn't hear her or didn't mind, as she smiled and shook her head.

"Eh, it's nothing, really. It's honestly just another part of my life at this point. Wake up, eat, see ghosts all day long, no big deal. Just another everyday thing for me. But you know what doesn't happen every day? Me getting to meet someone with such an… interesting taste in clothes.” She gestured to the blonde woman’s sweater. Bright red, covered in tiny Christmas lights that, upon further inspection, seemed to actually be on. Touko couldn't help but cringe as she took in the full effect of the sweater. Unappealing to the eyes, so much so that that seemed to be the purpose.

“It looks like you had a s-scuffle with a Christmas tree and lost.” She found herself saying as she took a sip of the drink Sonia brought. Warm and sweet, with a little bit of cool bite from the peppermint. Warm and sweet, yet cool. The words seemed to fit Sonia as well, even with as little as she knew about her. She truly was captivating, Touko had to admit. _No way someone like that would ever consider being with someone as dull as me._

"I suppose it does look like that. But all the better, then! You see, I spent a few years studying abroad, and I found a peculiar tradition of wearing ugly sweaters during the Christmas season. I found it rather charming, so I make a new sweater every year for the occasion.” She explained, happily beaming at the two people in front of her. _Just hearing her so excited about something so absurd, it’s adorable._ The corners of Touko’s mouth slowly tipped upwards into a tiny, content smile. “Speaking of the holidays, do either of you have plans for Christmas? After all, it only comes around once a year. I personally am going to be out of town, since it’s a tradition where I'm from for family to come together, no matter the distance. But are you two doing anything?" Sonia asked. Touko opened her mouth to speak when Komaru cut in.

“Nope! I’m just gonna be working all day. I’m not one for seeing all that mushy couple stuff. Wait, crap, what day is it?” Komaru frantically unlocked her phone, her eyes wide as though she had just realized something. “Shoot, I thought today was Tuesday! I should've been at work three hours ago! Oh man, Hiro’s not gonna let me hear the end of it. See ya later, Toukie! And it was really nice to meet you, Sonia. Bye!” She quickly hopped off the counter, running out the door, almost tripping over her own feet in her haste. Touko and Sonia simply stood for a moment, looking at one another. Finally, the silence was broken as Sonia began to laugh.

“Toukie? Oh, that’s so sweet! You truly have a lovely girlfriend, Touko. I'm glad I got to meet her.” Touko’s eye twitched as the other woman kept laughing.

“I knew it.” Her words are barely above a whisper. It's still enough to get Sonia to look up, apparently done with her fit of laughter.

“Huh?” Sonia's head tilted to the side in confusion.

“I knew it! I knew y-you were just a fithy little s-straight girl. Who else would r-refer to two girls as g-girlfriends when they're not dating?” The writer's voice is an angry growl. Her hands were physically shaking. _I should've known she was too perfect._ “Wait, you two are not dating?” _What._ “I simply assumed that the two of you were together. After all, she is very affectionate towards you, and she has even given you something of a pet name. So, I came to the conclusion that you two were a thing. I'm sorry for thinking that, and I'm sorry for upsetting you with this misunderstanding.” Sonia bowed her head, her hands clasped one over the other. Touko frowned slightly, biting her lip. It hurt her to see Sonia look so guilty for something that wasn't even her fault. This wasn't the first time someone had thought that her and Komaru were together.

“L-Listen, it's fine. I’m sorry I g-got so upset. I j-just thought it was obvious that m-me and her aren't a thing. I shouldn't have g-gotten so angry. Listen, I’ll make it up to y-you. Find a book you w-want and you can keep it, n-no charge. Does that s-sound good?"

The blonde didn't respond. She wandered towards one of the book shelves, looking for only a second before she grabbed a thick book and placed it on the counter. Looking at it, Touko began to scowl lightly. It was, once again, one of the books she had penned. She really couldn't tell if Sonia was just trying to flatter her, or if she really did like her work as much as she had previously said. Either way, she could feel a blush lighting up her cheeks at the choice. "Y-You sure you want this one?"

"Of course. This is one of your newer publications, one I haven't read to boot, so I'm expecting it to be as good as your other recent books. Now, I must be off. I have to go and meet a friend for lunch. Thank you so much for your generosity, Touko. You're a kind woman. Have a good day!" Sonia seemed to skip out of the shop with the book clutched to her chest. The moment Sonia was out of sight, Touko leaned against the wall, sliding down until she was sitting, her head hung in exhaustion. So much had happened in such a small timeframe, and she was still trying to digest it. As things began to come together, she giggled oh so quietly, because...

"Sonia now knows I'm s-single."


	6. Finally

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I live! Sorry for the unexpected hiatus, but life caught up to me pretty unexpectedly, along with a real bad bout of writer’s block. To make up for it, I'll try to have the next chapter up within the next few days, but for now, please know that no, this fic will not stay half-finished for the rest of time. :)

The scratching of pen across paper echoed through the otherwise silent shop. A small, green notebook was open in front of Touko, each page quickly filling up with elaborately detailed sentences. Her gaze was intense as she penned what would become her latest masterpiece. The tale that bloomed across the pages was one that Touko was becoming familiar with, one of shyness and un-admitted feelings. Yes, major details such as names and the type of shop she ran were changed, but the core of her experiences was preserved all too well. She was only writing the personal tale due to Komaru’s urging, but she knew that, at the very least, her fans would love it. From what the sales of the books she wrote told her, people seemed to eat up the cheesy, cliche experience that she was going through.  She only hoped that a certain fan wouldn't notice the similarities between herself, Touko, and the main characters of the book.

 

Speaking of a certain fan, the author had been finding Sonia more and more in her thoughts. Her perfect pale skin, beautiful hair, and laughter that reminded Touko of bells. She hated herself for having fallen so hard for some random girl, yet here she was, falling for Sonia and not even sure that she was going to catch her. The shopkeep groaned loudly, burying her head in her journal. She'd thought that all this useless, overwhelming lovesickness had been left behind when she had graduated high school. Apparently not, if the warm feeling she got in her chest from thinking about the blonde told her anything.

 

“Touko, is there a reason you appear to be absorbing your journal?” A chuckling, accented voice asked from across the shop. Of course Sonia would show up now of all times. Speak of the devil and he shall come. Of course, Sonia more resembled an angel than anything else. Only an angel could have such smooth, unmarked skin, almost like porcelain, and long pale hair that seemed to be made of light itself. The only thing missing from her angelic appearance was a golden halo. Putting those thoughts to the side, Touko slowly lifted her face from the journal, giving Sonia a hesitant smile.

 

“Just have a b-bit of writer’s block, is a-all. Can't figure out h-how fast the leads will fall in l-love. I’ve s-set the pieces in place for the main lead to c-confess their affections f-for the love interest, but I d-don’t want to r-rush it.” She wasn't quite lying when she said that. She really didn't know how fast she should move things. Sure, she had all her ducks in a row for asking Sonia out, but she just kept second guessing herself, questioning if the time was truly right. It just wouldn't do to be rejected and lose what had become a close friend on top of that.

 

“Well, perhaps you can give me an idea of what is occurring in your book and maybe I can aid you?” The blonde offers with a warm smile. Touko turns her head to the side, keeping her gaze on her journal. Should she really tell her? Well, it couldn’t hurt, could it. She silently prayed that she’d changed enough that the parallels to real life wouldn’t be noticed.

 

“T-The story is about a young g-girl, Tokiwa. She’s a s-shy, scared girl who runs a small d-dress shop in Osaka. One d-day, a beautiful woman c-comes into her shop, and she’s instantly s-smitten. Tokiwa s-snaps at the woman by m-mistake and is sure she’s g-gone forever, but she r-returns the next day with a g-gift for Tokiwa as a way to ask f-for peace between them. Day after d-day, the beautiful girl k-keeps returning to Tokiwa’s shop, bringing g-gifts and company to Tokiwa. It d-doesn’t take long before these acts of k-kindness make Tokiwa’s feelings almost u-unbearable. However, she’s afraid t-that she’ll scare off the beautiful girl, S-Sophia, if she confesses h-how she feels, so Tokiwa s-skirts around her feelings. But a-after a w-while, Tokiwa finally finds the c-courage in herself to ask Soni-S-S-Sophia out, and t-that’s where I’m s-stuck. Tokiwa has b-built up the nerve to do it, b-but is it too s-soon to have her actually f-follow through?” The shopkeep wrung her hands slowly, not even daring to look the blonde in the eye. Her tongue had slipped. Dear god, her tongue had slipped, and Sonia was going to put together the pieces and what was she going to d-

 

“Not at all! If she can find it in herself to confess her feelings to Sophia, she should just go for it! And from what you've told me about how you write Sophia interacting with Tokiwa, I think that Sophia's actions are more than mere actions of kindness, so you certainly have all the setup you need to make their romance truly begin to blossom. If I were Sophia, I would certainly be receptive to Tokiwa’s advances. That is just my opinion, though. You are the author here.” Her voice is gentle, hopeful almost. It almost seemed like… No, it couldn’t be. And yet…

 

The author’s hands tremble as she lets the blonde’s words sink in. Was Sonia truly making a statement that went beyond the mere interactions of fictional characters? She had to know.

 

“M-Maybe… Maybe I should have S-Sophia confess first. I feel like Tokiwa would c-crumple under the idea of rejection, and Sophia w-would have to admit her feelings f-first. Does that make sense?” Her voice was quiet, almost pleading for Sonia to understand. She needed Sonia to get it. To see the deeper meaning under her words. She wanted so badly for the taller woman to finally see how she felt about her. It seemed that her internal pleading was answered, though, as the blonde leaned in gently, gazing gently into Touko’s eyes.

 

“I think that would certainly work.” Her giggle is light, her eyes seeming to twinkle as the spoke. “Touko, you are a delightful woman. Even in the amount of time that I’ve known you, I’ve found myself enraptured by you, wanting to stay by your side and learn all I can about you. So, Touko Fukawa, may I perhaps treat you to a lunch date tomorrow?” Her porcelain white cheeks began to bloom pink, and even after being urged to be the one who confessed, her eyes still gleamed with a touch of doubt, as if she was truly expecting Touko to turn her down.

 

Touko merely leaned forward in response, her lips pressing chastely against Sonia’s. “That w-would be wonderful. Come by to p-pick me up at two tomorrow. You better t-take me somewhere nice.” A loving smile tugged at Touko’s lips, her cheeks growing warm from being so close to the other woman. In all her dreams, she had never been able to imagine that this moment would happen, the blonde beauty in front of her willing to give her heart to her. It was so much more than she ever could have hoped for, and she felt like she could float away at any moment. After what felt like an eternity, Sonia finally pulled away, Touko quickly snapping out of her joyful haze. Sonia’s eyebrows scrunched into a displeased scowl as she gazed down at her wristwatch,

 

“Oh darn. I’m so sorry, but I have to leave right now. I’m supposed to be having a video call with someone important in an hour, and I need to go prepare for that. But don’t worry, I’ll take you to the nicest place I can find for lunch tomorrow. Until then.” The blonde gently placed a kiss onto Touko's lips before moving away, leaving Touko watching in awe as she left, slow fingers brushing over her own lips. To her surprise, her fingers came away pink, a remnant of Sonia's lipstick that had apparently found a new home on Touko’s lips during their kisses. Touko couldn't stop the giggle that fell from her now-pink lips, a bright smile stretching wide across her face. As childish as it was, it made her heart flutter to think that Sonia had left a mark, a sign of her affection that she had unknowingly left on the author.

  
She had fallen, and her pink lips proved she had been caught.


End file.
